In the only match that the team lost against the host Turkey, in front
of 7.000 spectators, the several times youth world champion had nochance and finally ranked 2nd (7
wins, one defeat, 21:6 sets). But nevertheless the young
Chinese players presented extraordinary performances - with the exception of service
reception. The variable attack play controlled by the play maker No.
16 (2nd in individual ranking) was very impressive and included all
players on the court in a very effective manner.

Service

CHN made us of a huge variety of service options. Five players served
powerful standing floats from different positions which were directed to
certain target areas according to the tactics chosen. Two of them served distance
floats and three backline floats. All service actions were based on 2-3 run-up
steps.

Three players served jump floats from back line positions (P1/6/5), one
of them with single legged jump-off. No. 1, a very athletic player, completed
the interesting service options with her jump
spin power service.

The team of China only ranked 5th with a low rate of faults, but also with
the lowest number of asses (54 / 7%). No 7 ranked 4th in individual ranking (serve
direction hard to anticipate because of short, quick hitting movement).

Reception

The Chinese team only ranked 6th (40% exc. / 13 faults), with a
performance level which was significantly lower than the new world champion (45%+
/ 10% -). The team preferred the very open 3-player-formation with the players
almost in one line in the middle of the back court. In
case the diagonal player No. 9 was part of the reception formation (only 36% exc.),
the reception formation, often, especially when receiving jump floats, was
changed to the 2-player-formation. 30 % of all actions
in the reception process were controlled by the very agile and flexible libero (in
the individual ranking 4th 54% exc. / 8% faults). She often tried to
support the reception player in position 1, which sometimes created problems as
it not always happened in a well coordinated manner. Overhand reception was not
applied. The quick attacker No. 7 and the diagonal player No. 9 were
incorporated into the reception actions.

Set
/ Attack (Complex I and II)

Team rank 3 for the “Best Setters” and rank 2 in individual ranking for
the setter No 16 underline the very good level of performance in setting. The
setter‘s actions were very agile and reliable. She could adapt her actions very
well to the attack players on the court and varied her set velocity and height accordingly.
With a well balanced distribution of the passes she reinforced the individually
strong points of the attack players and did also immediately integrate new
attack players into the attacks. All players performed
under-armsets very well. Among them the
setter impressed a lot by her sensitive and precise actions even when running
quickly. .

Complex I: The attack play in C
I is characterized by an affective combination of quick attacks from outside
positions (pos. 4 and 2) and variable quick attacks in front of the setter in
pos. 3. The team has three attackers of comparable performance level (average
height 188 cm), four quick attackers which perform on the same level (average
height 189 cm) and one power attacker on the diagonal position (188 cm). All
attackers on the outside position have the capacity to score with great action
height and with powerful spikes (line as well as diagonal) as part of variable
tactics. The middle block players were very often ready to become part of
offensive actions – also on intermediate positions – and they spike quickly and
with variable technique.

Complex II: Following successful defensive
actions attacks on outside position 4 were dominating. In case of freeball situations the team strictly
and successfully enters into 1st tempo attacks resp. Quick passes to the
outside positions. The quick transfer to counter attacks was worth mentioning.

Block / Defense

CHN
performed well in block and field defense, ranking 3rd in both elements. The
players showed variable step arrangements close to the net. Based on position adaptation, timing and offensive blocking technique
of the outside players together with the middle blocker effective group blocks
became possible, in the míddle of the net sometimes as 3-players block. The
successful individual blocks on all positions are worth mentioning. In this
element the precise adaptation of the position and the blocking actions quick
as a lightning (jump and active arm movement towards the ball) were impressive.

In field defense the team played with pos. 6 back position (starting
position in the middle field) and back yard players on pos. 1/5 being
responsible for the close coverage of the block. According to the match
situation the basic system varied between 2:2:2 and 2:0:4. The libero (ranking
1st individually) played on pos. 5 and quickly approaches his block covering
position forward/ forward inside (P4/P3) or to become part of field defense (P5/6).
The group block on pos. 3 is covered by the free net player. In case of a
1-player-block a 3-player-formation with far forward outside players
represented the defensive formation.